Does it really matter what something is called if we know exactly what it is used for? Mixers are actually something that enables a certain level of privacy because the coins you send and the coins you get back should not be connected. Whether someone calls it a mixer, a privacy tool, or some other name is really irrelevant.

The only reason why mixers are always targeted by the authorities is that they don't have KYC, and if you don't know who sent the coins for mixing, then you can't catch the (mostly) bad guys who use these tools to try to hide the trail of their illegal activities.